Angela is the Founder and Executive Director of Upcycle Arts. Angela is constantly creating, whether it’s baking, sewing costumes, stilt walking, or circus aerial. She is so excited to bring the world of creative reuse to Charlotte. She has a Bachelor of Science from Northeastern University and spent four years in the military at Fort Bragg, NC.

Trish is a visual artist with a background in entrepreneurship and business education. She has run businesses as small as a one-person sole proprietorship to a multimillion-dollar commercial construction supply company and has served as a college professor of entrepreneurial studies and business management. She has knowledge and experience in the field of management from financial to strategic and holds an M.B.A. and Ph.D. in Strategic Management.

Rachel is originally from Greenville, SC but is SO proud to have called Charlotte home for almost 25 years. She loves being creative and can be found immersing herself in anything creative. She loves to sew. And draw. And paint. And re-create. She also loves to shop. She believes this inspires creativity in her "real job" as a graphic designer, but in truth, it's because she's also on the lookout for the perfect pair of Mary Janes (any color, stacked heel). Rachel received a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design from the Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD). She's married and has two daughters who are budding artists themselves.

Sophia is a sewist and maker with a background in change management and employee engagement. At work, she applies design thinking to create collaborative learning experiences involving podcasts, videos and gamification. Sophia brings with her an MBA from Point Loma Nazarene University and is on her way towards achieving a master’s in textiles from NCSU. She has lived in Charlotte for four years and finds continuous inspiration in the community.

Julie has a passion for creativity and recycling. She is a lifelong crafter and wishes she was independently wealthy so she could spend all her time crafting, sewing and creating. Alas, she must work to earn a living, and does so as a marketing executive.

Emily Pearce is a children’s author and artist with a background in professional fundraising, primarily in prospect research. She is passionate about crafting and sustainability and loves to sew in her spare time.